Traveling case



Nov; 27, 1945. H. LATHROP TRAVELING CASE Filed May 25, 1945 ATTO 5 NEY Patented Nov. 27, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

My present invention relates generally to traveling cases, and has particular reference to an improved combination device comprising a box and an accessory unit.

The invention is primarily intended to afiord a compact and attractive means for enabling a traveler or other user to carry relatively small utilitarian items such as shaving implements, cosmetics, a mirror or mirrors, and the like. It may obviously be of wider utility, however, and it is therefore to b understood that certain phases of the invention are not necessarily restricted to the transportation or accommodation of any specific items, nor to any particular size of device or mode of use.

A traveling case constructed in accordance with the invention is characterized by the provision of two individually complete elements, one a box or container, the other an accessory device comprising hingedly-connected panels, these parts being so designed that they may be conveniently associated in interfitting but readily separable relationship. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the accessory device is designed to serve as a mirror which may be stood up in self-supporting fashion upon any convenient table, shelf, or similar support. This device, while complete in itself, and comparable in attractiveness and utility to so-called traveling mirrors currently available as independent items, is constructed in such a manner that it may be compactly and snugly nested in association with the container or box element of the present assembly, whereby an unusually compact unit, constituting a single box-like traveling case, results.

One of the features of the invention resides in the special design of the box element. The box has a bottom wall, and upstanding front and rear and side walls, and the side walls are purposely caused to extend upwardly and downwardly beyond the upper and lower edges, respectively, of the front and rear walls. The box may also have a lid or cover, if desired, hingedly connected to the upper edge of the rear wall, and it may be provided with interior partitions or fittings of any desired or well-known type. The extensions on the side walls do not impair the usefulness of the box, nor detract from its pleasing appearance, yet they afford the key to an unusually efiicient interengagement between the box and the accessory device. The latter comprises two panels which are adapted to overlie and underlie the box, respectively, and to fit snugly between the upwardly-projecting and the downwardly-projecting side wall extensions, respectively.

These structural features, and others hereinafter to be referred to, contribute to the achievement of the general object of the invention, viz., the provision of a traveling case of wide and improved utility, of compact nature, of esthetically attractive appearance, and of an inherent structural nature which lends itself readily to practical manufacture and to the employment of a large variety of different ornamental materials such as leather, plastics, polished wood, metal, and the like.

I achieve the foregoing general objects and advantages, and such other objects and advantages as may hereinafter appear or be pointed out, in the manner illustratively exemplified in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the traveling case shown in completely assembled condition;.

Figure 2 is a similar View showing the parts in a partially disassembled relationship;

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the box element. by itself, with the lid or cover thrown back;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the accessory device shown by itself and set up for use; and

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional View taken substantially along the line 5--5 of Figure 3.

Referring first to Figures 3 and 5, the box element of the present device consists essentially of a bottom wall l0, upstanding front and rear walls H and I2, and upstanding side walls i3 and M. The side walls are extended in height to project upwardly and downwardly beyond the upper and lower edges, respectively, of the front and rear walls I I and I2. The upwardly-projecting extensions are designated by the reference numeral I5 and the downwardly-projecting extensions are designated by the reference numerals it (see Figure 5). The box or container may also be provided with a lid or cover ll which is hinged to:

the upper edge of the rear wall 12 and is adaptedv to be swung from the open position shown in, Figures 2 and 3 to a closed position in which the: forward edge rests upon the upper edge of the front wall H.

The element may be provided with interior compartments of any desired shape or arrange ment, and I have illustratively shown partitions H! which sub-divide the interior of the box into subordinate compartments for the accommodation of items of various kinds.

The general contour of the box may be varied to suit different requirements and to produce various ornamental effects, but I have chosen to illustrate the device in the rectangular form which it will most generally assume, each of the upstanding walls of the box being straight, and the walls of each opposite pair being parallel.

The box may be composed of any suitable material, such as metal, wood, plastic, or the like, or it may be composed of a base material such as wood, and covered with fine and ornamental leather or the like; A clasp or similar device (not shown) may be provided to hold the cover I! in closed relationship to the box. For a purpose presently to be described, the outer surface of the cover I! and the outer surface of the bottom wall In are preferably provided with a coating or layer of felt or other equivalent soft material.

The box element is a unit entirely complete in itself, as will be apparent from the foregoing description. It may be employed for the accommodation of a large variety of selected items, and it may readily be transported from place to place.

The accessory device is shown most clearly in Figure 4, and consists of two panels I9 and 20, joined together in hinged relationship by an intermediate portion 2 I. Each of the panels is preferably composed of rigid material such as wood, metal, plastic, or the like, and has an over-all thickness substantially equal to the height of the side wall extensions I or I6. An attractive construction results when each of the panels I9 and 20 is composed of a base material such as wood,

covered with ornamental leather or the like; and a where this is the construction resorted to, a continuation of the leather or similar covering from the outside of one panel to the other affords a convenient means for forming the intermediate portion 2|.

The accessory device may be used for any desired purpose, and I have illustratively shown the preferred construction in which each of the panels I9 and 20 is provided with a suitable recess within which a mirror is mounted. Thus, I have shown a mirror 22 mounted within the panel I9, and a similar mirror 23 mounted within the panel 20. These mirrors may be plane or spherical, as may be. desired, and they may obviously have the circular contours shown, or any other desired shape.

The accessory device is so constructed and designed that it may be associated with the box of Figure 3 in a snug and compact interfitting relationship. More particularly, the panel I9 is made of such a shape and size that it will overlie the box element and will fit snugly between the upstanding extensions I5 of the side walls I3 and- I4; the panel 20 is similarly designed so that it will fit snugly between the downwardly-projecting extensions I6, so as to underlie the box; and the connecting portion 2| is so designed that it will snugly overlie the rear wall I2 of the box. When the parts are interfitted, as described, the assembly presents a neat, compact, and attractive appearance as shown in Figure 1.

The accessory device, like the box element, is an individually-complete unit, and may be used in any desired manner. Where it is employed to accommodate mirrors, as shown in Figure 4, it is contemplated that the accessory device will be stood up, in self-supporting fashion, in the position shown in Figure 4, the panels I9 and 20 being arranged in vertical planes at an angle to each other. Obviously, if desired, this accessory device may be hung from a hook or the like, or may be stood up or supported in other ways.

To hold the parts in interfitting relationship, I provide a special fastening means of releasable character which extends across the front wall of the box and engages the free edges of the panels I9 and 20. This fastening means may be permanently secured to one of the panels and provided with a portion adapted to be releasably secured to the other panel; or, as is preferred, and as shown in the accompanying drawing, the fastening means may be of such a character that it engages both the front wall of the box and the free edges of the panels I9 and 20.

Thus, in the preferred embodiment illustrated herein, I have shown a fastening strip 24 which is permanently secured in any desired fashion (not shown) to the free edge portion or margin of the panel 20, the strap 24 having a length which permits it to extend upwardly across the front wall of the device into engagement with the free edge portion of the other panel I9. For illustrative purposes, I have shown a releasable snap-fastening means 25 by means of which the strap 24 may be secured to the front wall II of the box, and a similar snap-fastening device 26 by means of which the strap 24 may be caused to engage with the panel I9.

An obvious alternative arrangement would be to secure the strap 24 in permanent relationship to the front wall I I of the box, leaving the oppositely extending portions of the strap free for releasable engagement, respectively, with the panels I9 and 2D.

In the embodiment shown, the fastening device permits the entire assembly to be held together in a compact condition, as shown in Figure 1, the parts interfitting in such a manner that a substantially smooth contour results. In this condition, the device may be readily transported from place to place, and may be conveniently packed into a suitcase or the like. Should it be desired to separate the parts into individual units, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the snap fasteners 25 and 26 are released, and the two components of the assembly are thus freed from each other. Should it be desired, however, to obtain access to the interior of the box element, without necessarily separating the two elements completely, a release of the snap fastener 26 will accomplish the desired result, as shown in Figure 2.

Where the box element is provided with the hinged cover II, this cover obviously underlies the panel I9 when the device is in completely interfitted relationship as shown in Figure 1. And where the accessory devic is employed to support mirrored surfaces, as shown, the coating of the cover I1, and the bottom wall II! of the box, with felt or similar soft material, serves to protect the mirror surfaces in a desirable manner.

In general, it will be understood that the details herein described and illustrated may readily be modified by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a traveling case, a box and an accessory device adapted to be associated in interfitting but separable relationship, said box having a bottom wall and upstanding front, rear, and side walls, the side walls having extensions projecting upwardly and downwardly beyond the upper and lower edges, respectively, of said front and rear walls, said accessory device comprising two substantially flat panels adapted to overlie and derlie the box, respectively, and to fit snugly between said upwardly-projecting and downwardly... projecting extensions, respectively, and an intermediate portion hingedly connecting said panels and adapted to overlie the rear wall of the box.

2. In a traveling case, the combination with the elements set forth in claim 1, of releasable fastening means extending across the front wall of the box and engaging the free edges of said panels to hold the parts together when they are associated in interfitting relationship.

3. In a traveling case, the combination with the elements set forth in claim 1, of releasable fastening means engaging the front wall of the box and the free edges of said panels to hold the parts together when they are associated in interfitting relationship.

4. In a traveling case, the combination with the elements set forth in claim 1, of releasable fastening means extending across the front wall of the box and engaging the free edges of said panels to hold the parts together when they are associated in interfitting relationship, said fastening means being permanently secured to one of said panels and provided with a portion adapted to be releasably secured to the other panel.

5. In a traveling case, the combination with the elements set forth in claim 1, of releasable fastening means engaging the front wall of the box and the free edges of said panels to hold the parts together when they are associated in interfitting relationship, said fastening means being permanently secured to one of said panels and provided with portions adapted to be releasably secured, respectively, to said front wall and to the other panel.

6. In a traveling .case, the combination with the elements set forth in claim 1, of a box cover hinged to the upper edge of the rear wall of the box and adapted to lie beneath the upper panel of the accessory device when the parts are associated in interfitting relationship.

7. In a traveling case, the combination of elements set forth in claim 1, said accessory device having at least one of its panels provided with a mirror on its inner surface.

8. In a traveling case, the combination of elements set forth in claim 1, said panels being of rigid material to make the accessory device selfsupporting when it is stood up by itself with said panels in vertical planes and at an angle to each other, at least one of said panels being provided with a mirror on its inner surface.

9. In a traveling case, the combination of elements set forth in claim 1, said panels being of rigid material having a thickness substantially equal to the height of said side Wall extensions, whereby a substantially smooth contour results when the parts are associated in interfitting re lationship.

HARVEY LATHROP. 

